Fire? The little tom thought. He sniffed the air again. Only two days old and Smokykit is already facing his first fire.

Warriors were running everywhere, helping the elders, queens, and the other kits.

Where's Chestnutfleck? He thought, as he looked around for his mother. He couldn't find her through the chaos of scrambling pelts and panicked mews.

Some warriors were already out of the camp. Smokykit decided that it was best to follow them. With his tiny legs, he padded out of the camp. He instantly felt the heat of the fire in front of him.

"Uh, oh. That doesn't look good... I think." He tried to catch up with the warriors he had seen run out, but he was not quick enough. He tried getting their attention, but his small mews couldn't be heard among the crackle of the flames. He stopped running and took a breath. He coughed because of the smoke. All of a sudden he felt the heat right on him. The fire burned him on his left hind paw, his tail, back, and a small part of his head. Smokykit started to panic. He yowled as loud as he could for a kit his age. "It hurts!" Smokykit yowled. "Help!" He began to run in the direction he thought was camp.

"SMOKYKIT!" A familiar voice sounded above the hungry flames.

"Mother?!"

Without any warning, Smokykit was picked up by his scruff. His mother ran past the flames.

"Are you wet?" He asked Chestnutfleck.

She didn't answer, and instead kept on running. By the time they reached the river, Smokykit was non-stop whimpering, because his burns hurt so much.

"We're going to go for a little swim, okay?" Chestnutfleck told him.

He nodded slightly, and they went into the water. Chestnutfleck swam to the river's other side with Smokykit in her mouth. The moment she set him on the ground, Chestnutfleck and Blazestar started to scowl him. Then, Scarletlily hushed them. The new medicine cat checked his burns and fixed him up, making sure he was okay.

"What were you thinking?!" His mother practically yelled. "I was looking everywhere for you! Do you not know how much pain and worry you have caused the Clan?"

Smokykit looked down at his paws, ashamed.

"If I knew there was going to be a fire, I wouldn't have let you out of my sight. How could I have let you leave the nursery unsupervised?"

"Chestnutfleck, be gentle on him. He just got burned badly. Don't make him feel worse," Blazestar spoke calmly, but Smokykit knew she was just as angry, because her tail was lashing from side to side.

Chestnutfleck groaned. "Oh, but my poor kit!"

"I'm here, too!" Robinkit spoke up.

Chestnutfleck wrapped her tail around both her kits. Smokykit whimpered again, and Robinkit licked his cheek.

A few days had past. The BlazingClan cats had settled on that side of the river until the fire had gone. Today was the day the Clan was to go back to their own territory. Smokykit and Robinkit were excited to see what became of the home they barely knew. When they got back to what was left of their camp, Blazestar called a meeting.

"I know most of our home is destroyed, but it will return to its beautiful and plentiful self. It just needs time to grow. In the meantime, we will gather everything we can to make our camp look just as it was before the fire. Bearfur," she called to her deputy. "I need you to arrange hunting patrols. I will arrange the material-gathering patrols myself. Remember, everyone, our hardships will only make us stronger. Meeting dismissed."

Immediately, every warrior and capable cat got to work. The nursery and the medicine cat's den were the first dens finished.

Chestnutfleck stayed in the nursery with her kits. Every now and than, when a cat needed help, she would leave them. Anything else, she would ignore to be with her kits.

Everyday the camp was getting back to its normal self, slowly returning to the great Clan's camp. Also everyday, Scarletlily would check on Smokykit's burns. His fur was just beginning to grow back, but it was red instead of gray, much to Scarletlily's amazement.

While the medicine cat was checking on Smokykit, Chestnutfleck stared at him with her lime-green gaze. When Scarletlily left, his mother beckoned to him to come to her.

"Yes, mother?" Smokykit asked, slightly frightened because he thought he was in more trouble.

Chestnutfleck licked the top of his head a few times. "I... want to give you a new name," she told him.

"A new name?" He got worried. "Wh-what's wrong with the one I have now?"

"Oh, nothing. I just feel it more appropriate to name you something else." Chestnutfleck looked up, and yowled. "I have an announcement!"

The Clan looked to her as she gazed back down at Smokykit.

"I am changing Smokykit's name. He will now be called Redkit. I hope his name will remind him of the fire that took our home, because the fire that roared through the forest is in him and will help him get through anything else he has to face." She nuzzled him. "I know it. I can see it already."

The Clan cheered, but some of the cats hesitated before going along.

"Or that fire is going to ruin us all over again," a cat growled to itself.

Chestnutfleck heard, but ignored it, knowing that what she saw in her son was true.

Redstone padded into the forest alone, wanting to hunt by himself and think. He tasted the air. Mouse. He thought, happily. He began to follow the scent, but all of a sudden, a different scent mingled in with the mouse's. Redstone drifted off the mouse trail and followed the other scent. It smelled of pine and cat.

"Looks like I got a trespasser," he said quietly to himself.

There was an annoyed hiss from the opposite direction he was going. He turned his head. Berylmask lost his prey. Redstone thought, knowing his Clanmate was out hunting, too.

He continued to follow the strange cat's scent, until it stopped abruptly. Redstone stepped through the bushes and into a small clearing. Dock was the only thing he could smell. When he entered, the first thing he saw was an orange and black cat with a tan-ish underbelly.

The stranger turned to him, face toward the ground.

"What are you doing here?" Redstone growled.

"Well, I was about to collect some dock leaves. Thought that would've been obvious. Dock's all around this clearing," the she-cat responded.

Redstone took a closer look at the cat. "Wait a minute. Have I seen you before?" His voice softened a bit. "Oh, I know! I saw you at the last Gathering. You were that medicine cat."

The she-cat lifted her head as if looking straight at him. Her eyes were scarred and white. Redstone did NOT see that coming. When he had last seen her, she had pretty light blue eyes.

He tried joking about it. "Although, I swore you had EYES then."

The cat unsheathed her claws, and took a threatening step forward. "Oh, I can't see now, but that doesn't make a difference. I could still shred you."

"Pfft, so much for a medicine cat."

The she-cat growled at his remark.

"Relax. I was just messing with you," he meowed calmly.

"Messing with me?!" The strange she-cat took another step forward. "Sounds like you're being insulting to me."

Redstone's tail twitched. "I didn't mean to insult you. I was trying to make a joke. Oops."

"Well, maybe it's time you learn to shut---" The she-cat was interrupted by another cat that limped into the clearing.

"Hey, Foxfur? Are you okay?" The new cat asked her. The tom narrowed his eyes at Redstone. "Who are you?" The tom growled, slightly.

"I'm Redstone," he meowed, still remaining calm. "Who are YOU and what are you doing on MY territory?" Redstone asked the tom.

The she-cat answered before the tom could even open his mouth to speak. "I'm Foxfur and this is my brother, Nightstorm. We're just passing through."

"My brother stepped on a thorn. Didn't you SEE him limp, or are your eyes messed up as well?" The she-cat meowed, smugly.

"I DID see that, thank you." Redstone was getting tired of her tone. "Want to use yours? Oh, that's right. You can't!" He fired back at her.

Nightstorm's fur began to bristle, but Foxfur didn't budge. "If you don't mind, I'm going to tend to my brother's pad." Without waiting for Redstone to answer, Foxfur got some dock leaves, chewed them, then spit the juice on Nightstorm's pad.

Redstone slowly walked over to Foxfur. He was curious to see what she was doing and how. "How do you do that without being able to see?" He asked her.

Foxfur sighed. "I do it as if I could still see. I act like nothing's changed," she answered him simply.

"How did you become blind? Who did this to you?"

Nightstorm moaned and meowed something in Foxfur's ear.

He caught the word "banished." "Banished? Did I just hear banished?" Redstone's eyes widened.

"No!" Foxfur and Nightstorm meowed at the same time.

"What did you guys do?"

"That's none of your business!" Foxfur growled.

"We should get going now!" Nightstorm started to nudge Foxfur onward, but Redstone blocked their path.

An idea struck at Redstone. Let's hope I don't sound too desperate. Then, he said aloud, "No, you can't go! Uh, please? If you guys were banished from your Clan, then that means you two are probably leaving the lake. The least I can do is give you food, water, and rest."

Nightstorm looked at Redstone, confused.

"You want to give us hospitality? We trespassed on your territory! Shouldn't you be chasing us away? What kind of a Clan cat are you?" Foxfur's mew was shocked.

"I thought we Clan cats were suppose to help each other in times of need. That's what I'm doing for you both. You guys don't have a home anymore. I... feel sorry for you guys."

"We don't need your pity," Foxfur growled.

"But he has a point," Nightstorm meowed, thoughtfully.

Redstone twitched his tail, face looking smug. "Then, follow me."

Redstone padded along, going back to camp with Foxfur and Nightstorm behind him. The siblings were yapping their heads off on how they don't trust him and that they shouldn't go to the camp.

Redstone silently listened, until he had had enough of their talk. "Are you two done blabbering?" He asked them. Then, he snorted with amusement. "You need to learn to have quieter conversations." Redstone knew they were embarrassed.

Nightstorm's gaze never left the ground, and Foxfur looked even grumpier.

"We're here!" Redstone announced.

They entered an enormous clearing, surrounded by trees. There were some bushes and rocks in the clearing, which seemed to have been put there by the BlazingClan cats.

"Redstone, what're you going to tell your clanmates?" Foxfur asked.

Redstone stopped walking. He hadn't thought about that. "Umm... I'll tell them---" He was interrupted by a playful mew.

"Redstone, what have you got there? You didn't catch cat on your hunt, did you?" A striking yellow she-cat with white paws and amber eyes came up to him.

Redstone thought it was best to play along. "Well, Blazestar, it would seem that I have."

Blazestar looked warmly at the two siblings. "Can one of you tell me why Redstone has brought you here?" The leader asked.

By now, more of the BlazingClan cats noticed the two strangers, and they came to see what was going on.

"Um, we trespassed," Nightstorm meowed awkwardly.

"Oh, you trespassed, huh?" Blazestar looked at Redstone for a second then back at the siblings. "Redstone and Bluecloud, please show them to their... beds."

"Come on." Redstone flicked his tail, telling them to follow.

Bluecloud approached them. They all walked to a big tree that had a hole in the bottom. It was big enough for about four cats. Moss covered the inside of the bottom of the tree. "Here we are," Redstone meowed kindly.

Nightstorm nudged Foxfur into the tree.

"I will be right back with some prey for you both," Bluecloud meowed, then bounded away.

"Make yourselves comfortable," Redstone said as he looked in at them. "I don't know how long Blazestar plans on keeping you here."

"You mean because you brought us in as prisoners?" Foxfur's mew was sharp.

"Hey! I---" Redstone was interrupted by Bluecloud, who had come back with two plump mice.

She dropped them at the siblings' paws. "One for each," Bluecloud meowed, happily. "We'll leave you guys alone to eat."

Bluecloud and Redstone padded away. Redstone glanced back at Foxfur. He noticed that Nightstorm narrowed his eyes at him.

Several sunrises had passed. Blazestar had recently talked to the two cats, and had gotten them to do some work around the camp while they were there. Foxfur and Nightstorm seemed to be doing okay with the rest of the BlazingClan cats, even if Foxfur never looked happy.

Redstone padded up to her. "Foxfur?" He asked cautiously.

The blind she-cat was talking to herself.

"Foxfur?" Redstone repeated.

This time she heard him, and she turned to him, sniffing. "Redstone? What do you want?"

Redstone looked at her, disappointed. "But WHY? You AND Nightstorm haven't told anyone why you were banished." Redstone started to get angry. "You've been with me for almost half a moon, and you still don't trust me?"

Foxfur was on her paws, now facing him. They were almost nose-to-nose. "I KILLED a cat, Redstone! I am not sorry for what I have done to that traitor!" Foxfur hissed, then she backed away, her head lowered to the ground.

"Foxfur..." Redstone tried speaking, but the she-cat continued.

"I killed her... and they sent me away. I did them a favor, but they acted like I was nothing..." Foxfur went back to facing the lake. "I can hear Lostwillow's voice echoing in my head. She taunts me. That thing wants vengeance on me for ruining her plans. She---"

Redstone interrupted her by licking her on the cheek, and he brushed his tail on her back. He instantly felt her fur rise along her spine. He took a step back, thinking she would come at him full of rage. But he was wrong.

Foxfur just sat there, breathing heavy. It was as if she was trying to decide how to react.

"Foxfur, I-I'm sorry. I didn't know you went through all that..." Redstone felt terrible for her and he didn't know what to say.

Foxfur didn't move, but she did begin to speak. "Lostwillow," she spat. "That was that cat's wretched name. She killed both of my parents, and was planning to kill Rowanstar. She followed me out to the forest, and we... we fought. She clawed my eyes just as a ripped her throat open. She's the reason I can't see, and she's the reason I've been banished."

"Foxfur, I... I'm so sorry!"

"You have nothing to be sorry about. This... this was all me. I can't stay in BlazingClan, because Lostwillow might try something. I don't want her to harm that Clan."

"You'd make a loyal warrior," Redstone meowed softly, trying to lighten the mode just a bit.

"Maybe," Foxfur replied. She faced him. "Thank you, Redstone. You're one of the most annoying cats ever, but you're also the most understanding cat I've ever met."

Redstone's heart flew, but he forced himself to act cool. "Should we go back and get your mouse?"

"Sure," Foxfur purred.

They got the mouse, then padded side by side back to camp.

They entered the camp. Foxfur went to go put her mouse on the fresh-kill pile. Suddenly, a loud yowl sounded.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, join me at the CrystaledRock!"

Redstone and his Clanmates gathered around the CrystaledRock. He turned, seeing Foxfur and Nightstorm hanging at the back of the crowd. Redstone noticed that Shadetail was sitting close to Nightstorm. Redstone's tail twitched, and he turned back to Blazestar.

"You all know our two guests," the leader began. "I have decided that it is time for them to take their leave. We have been very kind to them, and I hope that they remember us as they go on their journey."

"I... I'm just not sure what to do anymore." Foxfur sighed. "If I don't stay, I'd be leaving Nightstorm behind along with---" She stopped herself. Redstone twitched an ear, and Foxfur continued. "If I do stay, there's a chance Lostwillow will do something that'll harm BlazingClan, and I do NOT want that to happen."

"Foxfur, if Lostwillow is planning something, we will just have to make sure we are ready for anything she might throw at us."

"Yes, but... I don't want any cat being harmed because of me."

"Whatever happens, we will be ready. I'm positive."

Foxfur's head was aimed at the ground. "Are you really sure?" She asked.

"Never been surer in my life."

"Redstone, is there a reason you want me to stay so badly?"

"What?" The question caught him off guard.

"It's the talk of the Clan. Everyone seems to think you want me to stay. Is it not true?"

"No, it's true," Redstone confessed.

"But, why?"

"I... You... Uh," Redstone couldn't think of how to respond without giving anything away. He looked at his paws. Foxfur got up and licked his cheek. She sat next to him, their fur brushing. Redstone's face lit with surprise. "Foxfur?"

"I said I didn't want to leave, because I would be leaving Nightstorm behind."

"Yeah...?"

"But I was forgetting someone." Foxfur turned her head as if looking at him. "How could I have forgotten you?" She licked his ear.

Redstone felt himself heating up. (If he was human, he'd be blushing like crazy.) "You---you're staying for me?"

"And Nightstorm," she added teasingly.

"You do know how happy this just made me, right?" Redstone asked her.

"Yeah. Heh, I can hear the excitement in your voice."

"Did you tell Nightstorm your decision?"

"I just made my decision so, no," she purred.

"Well, then let's go tell the whole Clan!" Redstone jumped up.

Foxfur purred again and stood up. "Alrighty."

They went back to camp.

Foxfur first told Nightstorm, then they both went to tell Blazestar that they would like to stay. Blazestar called a meeting, and she told the Clan that the siblings would stay. She gave them their own "Welcome to the Clan" ceremony. Everyone welcomed them, and they were accepted right away. Redstone was especially happy.

"Redstone, I'm sorry," Blazestar meowed, her voice full of sympathy. "I promise I will take good care of both Pearlkit and Mysterykit."

"Thank you," Redstone meowed, quietly.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Scarletlily asked him.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

Scarletlily and Blazestar exchanged worried glances, while Redstone continued looking at his two motherless she-kits. Pearlkit had her eyes wide open, taking in every little detail of the nursery. Mysterykit was hiding between Redstone's paws.

"They're so small," A black tom-kit with one yellow stripe meowed as he walked over to look at the she-kits.

"Well, they're only a few sunrises old, Lightningkit," Blazestar told her son.

"Yeah, but, still. I could probably crush one with my paw."

"Lightningkit!" Blazestar scolded him.

Lightningkit shrunk back, but his brothers went over to see Mysterykit and Pearlkit.

"Foxfur... Foxfur told me that StarClan would be afraid of Mysterykit, and the choices that she'd make. Wha-what did she mean by that? Will Mysterykit be okay? She also said that Pearlkit will be joining her---"

"What? Did she tell you a prophecy?"

"N-no. Well, it might have been. I-I don't know."

Scarletlily looked a bit confused, but her eyes were filled with pity. "Redstone, I'm so sorry. You're going through so much in such short time. Please, everything will be okay. StarClan will take care of it." She brushed against him before heading to the medicine cat den.

"How will StarClan take care of it, when they don't even know what to do?" He mumbled to himself.

There were tiny squeaks coming from the nursery. Redstone looked back at the entrance just as Pearlkit and Mysterykit were running out. They wobbled on their little legs.